During Earth Month, we’re celebrating industry allies committed to practicing sustainable initiatives to safeguard the environment. This week, we’re highlighting steel recyclers and the work they do to protect and preserve the health of our planet.
Who knew old rust buckets, broken appliances and junk cars could benefit the planet? Instead of being tossed aside, they can take on a more vital role—helping our planet’s long-term health. That’s where metal shredders come in; they’re the source for recycling these materials on a spectacular scale. 
At a shredding operation, scrap is fed into a huge hammer mill where rapidly spinning steel hammers pound the metal into tiny bits. Then those bits are separated into steel, copper, aluminum, brass, and other useful materials. In the past, these valuable resources sat in junk yards wasting away. Now, old metal items have a purpose.
Today, there are more than 350 shredding operations scattered across the U.S., and hundreds more overseas. This ongoing effort and dedication to a sustainable future is the reason more steel is now made through recycling than ever before. According to the Department of Commerce, the steel recycling industry ranks 16th in terms of revenue generation nationwide.
From the shredder to the mini mill to the many manufacturing operations that use recycled steel, Alliance Technical Group supports this important part of the supply chain through our laboratory, source testing, consulting, and ambient air monitoring services. We’re proud to be part of the sustainability commitment for a healthier planet.
FUN FACT:
The amount of pollution generated through shredding and recovering scrap steel in electric arc furnaces is significantly less than turning iron ore into steel. It’s the single most important form of recycling practiced in this country.